08/06/2026
90 years young! Our club celebrated Joyce's birthday with a beautiful cake (made by Kate Hope), and bouquet (Sue Turk). Still enjoying club days and giving helpful advice to members, Joyce was the original "mixed media artist" before the term was invented, and we all spent many happy hours in Joyce's home studio learning different methods of preserving plant material, including soaking copper beech leaves in glycerine (mine soon went mouldy) and enjoying Joyce's generous garden cuttings, flowers and seeds. (The maroon Hollyhock is still flowering in my garden many years after the first seeds were hatched.) Joyce's garden was a bit of a Tardis. Small on the outside but jam packed with unusual plants and flowers, including the huge Pitcher plants which were always intriguing. "Learn the Basics" was Joyce's mantra. Thank you Joyce, still working on that!
And here is the official version:
From attending the first FANZ meeting 61 years ago until today Joyce has influenced, taught, encouraged and driven members to extend their skills and imagination, not just with flowers but other natural materials and put them together to create a story and a picture perfectly balanced and in proportion, with her husband Fred assisting in mechanics and ensuring everything was stable and transportable.
A highlight must be working on the National Shows which were significant challenges not only in titles but in space and height. Joyce was a wizard in ensuring the principles were adhered to. Lower Hutt, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, magnificent work and exciting massive crowds.
Fun all the way for those who took part. She also encouraged those closer to home and once she had her conversion completed enticed members to workshops not just with flowers but patchwork, sewing, wall hangings, dried and artificial material. She loved it and so did those who took part. The early development of our teachers, judges and demonstrators of today have been touched by her enthusiasm and insistence that we all keep going until the task is completed.
Thank you Joyce for your long standing support for us all and your continued interest in everything we do.
